WORKING IN BC:

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6th Edition
https://www.surreyschools.ca/schools/tweeds/Departments/Planning/Documents/W
oring-in-BC-3-2012.pdf
or google working in bc your legal rights
Name: Gabriel Landen
Block: 2

1. Glossary: (Pages 2 & 21)

a. Averaging Agreement: A person legally appointed or empowered to
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.

act on behalf of another.

Collective Agreement: An agreement between employers and
employees which regulates the terms and conditions of employees in
their workplace.
Gross Pay: Your pay before deductions.
Double time: Twice the amount of your regular wage.
Net Pay: Your pay after deductions.
Time and a half: Your employer must pay you one and a half times
your regular pay for each hour worked after eight hours.
Under the Table: bosses don't pay social security taxes, unemployment
insurance, or workers compensation. It also means that they're not deducting
taxes from the workers pay or reporting the income to the government.
Variance: Some employers, with the agreement of their employees,
ask the Branch to vary or change how parts of the Act apply to them.

2. What is the Employment Standards Act?

An act to protect the rights of working people. Sections within the act outline the employers
responsibility to their employees, notably things such as minimum wage, meal breaks,
and parental leave /1

3. What is the role of the Employment Standards Branch?

The Employment Standards Branch (ESB) provides information as well as

enforces the Employment Standards Act, which is legislation applying to BC.

1
4. What is the phone number and website of the ESB?
1-800-663-3316 // https://www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb/

/1

5. List the people who are NOT covered by the ESB.

6.
Anyone who is not working /1
7. Who are covered by Collective Agreements?
a group of employees who are represented by a trade union.

/1

8. What Government issued document must you have in order to be hired in

BC?
Every person working in Canada must have a SIN /1

9. How old must you be to work in BC?

12 with parents permission and 15 without. /2
10.Define minimum wage.
Minimum wage is the minimum amount of compensation an employee must receive for
performing labor./1

11.What is minimum wage in BC?

$10.25 /1
12.Define Minimum Daily pay.
An employee who reports to work, as required by an employer, must be paid for a
minimum number of hours. /2

13.Besides shifts worked, what duties must an employer pay you for.
Health benefits. /1
14.What should be included on your pay cheque?
Year-to-date (for pay and deductions): health care, Social Security, Local Tax, Province
Tax, Federal Tax Amount, Net Pay, Gross Pay. /1

15.What can an employer deduct from your wages?

Canada Pension Plan; Employment Insurance Plan; Income tax (in most
cases); and Court-ordered garnishees, for example: family maintenance
orders./1

16.Define Special Clothing (p.21). Who pays for the upkeep of this?
An employer who requires an employee to wear special clothing must, without charge to the
employee,/2

17.Define Dress Code. Who pays for the upkeep of this?

A uniform the employer but code yourself /2
18.Describe what work breaks are you entitled to.

Every five hours, your employer must allow you at least a 30-minute rest
period. /1

19.What is a split shift?

A split shift is when you work some hours, and then have an unpaid break
and go back to work on that same day. If you work a split shift, you must
finish the shift within 12 hours of starting it. /1

20.When must you be paid double time?

Your employer must pay you two times your regular wage for each hour
worked after 12 hours ./1

21.How is weekly overtime calculated?

Your employer must pay you two times your regular wage for each hour
worked after 12 hours.

/1

22.Do employers have to pay you if you are sick and cannot work?
Yes/1
23.What vacation time are you entitled to /2
2 weeks

24.What is vacation pay?

When you are getting a full paid salary while on vacation /2

25.How many statutory holidays are there in BC

10
/1
26.How can you be eligible for stat holiday pay?
You always are by working in bc /3
27.How does the ESA protect you if you take an unpaid leave?
They cover by when you comeback you can make sure you have your job.

/1
28.Name 6 unpaid leaves which are covered by the ESA?
Pregnancy leave, parental leave, family responsibility leave, passionate care leave, jury duty,
bereavement leave. 1

29.What should you do if you feel your working conditions are unsafe?
Contact BCFED /1
30.What does the Human Rights Code state about discrimination in the
workplace? What are the protected grounds?
Employers are not aloud to be discriminate or discriminate others, grounds are sex, race, origin,
past crims/history etc.

/2

31.What is a layoff and when does it become a termination?

When you are asked to take unpaid leave, and 13/20 week period is the termination /2

32.Does an employer need to provide a reason to fire you?

No they do not. /1

33.What are you entitled to if you are terminated without notice?

1 weeks pay after working for 3 months, 2 weeks pay after working for 1 year and plus an
additional weeks pay after every year for up to 8 years.

/3

34.What is a T4?
A form needed to do your income taxes. /1

35.What are the disadvantages of working under the table?

No insurance benefits.

/1

36.What steps should you take if you have a problem at work?

Report incidents to bcfed with date and time and also talk to your employer about making changes.
37.

What is the purpose of the Employment Standards Self-help Kit?

to help employers and employees figure things out for them selves.

/1

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